Brazilian police on Tuesday arrested four soldiers in Rio de Janeiro, alleging their involvement in a 2022 plot to assassinate then-President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as part of a planned coup.
However, the arrests have sparked controversy, with conflicting claims about their roles in the ongoing G20 summit’s security.
A federal police source initially told AFP that the soldiers “were participating in the security operation for the G20 leaders’ meeting.”
Contradicting this, the Brazilian military later issued a statement asserting, “These soldiers were not part of the operation of maintaining order at the G20 summit.”
According to Brazil’s federal police, the suspects—described as “mostly soldiers with special forces training”—were part of a criminal organization planning to violently prevent the newly elected Lula administration from taking office.
The operation, codenamed “Green and Yellow Dagger,” allegedly aimed to assassinate presidential and vice-presidential candidates, as well as a Supreme Court justice, on December 15, 2022.
The plot, foiled before Lula’s January 2023 inauguration, highlighted ongoing political tensions.
Lula, a left-wing leader, narrowly defeated far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in the October 2022 elections.
Just weeks after Lula’s inauguration, thousands of Bolsonaro supporters stormed government buildings in Brasilia in an insurrection reminiscent of the U.S. Capitol riots.
Investigations into January 8, 2023, events and other alleged coup plots continue, casting a long shadow over Brazil’s political landscape.
It was reported that the G20 Summit is an annual meeting of leaders from the world’s largest economies, including 19 individual countries and the European Union.
It serves as a platform to discuss global economic issues, trade, climate change, health, and other pressing international matters.
The 2024 summit is being hosted by Brazil, following India’s presidency in 2023. Brazil’s focus is expected to include sustainable development, energy transition, and strengthening global cooperation amidst geopolitical tensions.
AFP
